The Fox
by acantabloom
Summary: AU. To save Yuuta's life, Syuusuke must find the same Golden Bird that his brother abandoned him to pursue. But the quest is far from simple, and Syuusuke's only hope of accomplishing his task is to trust in a mysterious guide.


A/N: This story is loosely based on the fairy tale "The Golden Bird".

* * *

_"Yuuta?"_

"_Leave me alone, Aniki! The king will give me fame and fortune if I bring him the Golden Bird. And I'm sick of being stuck here, with nothing to look at but trees."_

"_But Yuuta—"_

"_I'm going! Don't bother me!"/i_

Syuusuke blinked at the morning sun, which blinked back through the seemingly endless canopy of green leaves above his head. Where was he? What was he doing here? It was possible, of course that he was dreaming. It seemed to him that he had been dreaming a moment ago, and was now awake, but such perceptions could be unreliable.

But surely the colors of a dream forest would not have such brilliance, and he would not hear the songs of the birds so clearly.

He remembered his name. And he felt as if there was something he was looking for, but he could not remember what it might be. And since he could not remember, this must be a dream after all.

He was thirsty, and there was a stream nearby, bubbling gently, which ran into a small pool. It looked clear, and sweet. He bent his head down to drink.

"Stop!" ordered a deep voice.

Syuusuke drew back, and looked around him. No one was there. He must have imagined it. The line between imagination and reality was already so far blurred that the prospect of hallucinations did not bother him. His thirst seemed greater than ever, and he leaned forward again to drink.

"Stop!" the voice said again. "This will be the third time you have drunk water from this stream, and you will forget yourself forever."

Still, there seemed to be no one in the forest from which the words could have come.

"I'm very thirsty," Syuusuke said, his voice calm and pleasant. "And I don't know whether you exist, or I am just imagining you. Show yourself, please."

"Very well," said the voice. "I do not mind. Turn around."

Syuusuke did so, and from behind a tree stepped a fox. He was very large and very red, with a bushy, white-tipped tail and black paws.

"Hello," Syuusuke said. "Can you speak?"

"Yes," said the fox. "Does this surprise you?"

"Somewhat," Syuusuke said. "I don't believe that foxes usually speak. But since this is a dream, I will not let it disturb me."

The fox's tail twitched.

"You think this is a dream?" he asked.

"I don't know where I am, and there is a fox talking to me," Syuusuke replied. "Wouldn't you?"

"I can give you back some of your memory," the fox said. "But you will have to trust me."

Syuusuke hesitated. Foxes were not generally known for their truthfulness or benign intentions, and in stories, trusting one always turned out to be a colossal error. But this fox seemed different. He seemed more solemn than sly.

"All right," he said. "If you don't mind."

The fox took a few dainty steps toward where Syuusuke sat, and placed his front paws on his chest. He opened his mouth, revealing a set of teeth that were very white and extremely sharp. Syuusuke clenched his fists, fearing that those teeth were about to sink into the unprotected skin of his neck.

Instead, the fox put his face very close to Syuusuke's, and stared into his eyes. For a moment, it seemed that the fox's eyes were dark brown instead of golden—not at all the eyes of a beast. The fox exhaled softly into Syuusuke's mouth.

Syuusuke felt a splitting pain in his head, and he thought he was going to be sick. Everything seemed to vanish in a haze of green and brown.

But when the mental fog cleared, he remembered.

"Yuuta," he said.

The fox had backed away a few paces.

"Who is this Yuuta?" he asked Syuusuke. "The person you are searching for?"

"Yes," Syuusuke said. His head still ached a little. "He's my younger half-brother. The king sent him to look for the Golden Bird. Have you seen him?"

"Perhaps," the fox said. "There was a boy who came here before you, and drank three times from the water. He is asleep in the pool."

Syuusuke crawled over to the pool and peered in. The water was as clear as glass, and he could see all the way to the stones at the bottom. There was nothing alive in the water, not even a single fish.

"He isn't visible to the untrained eye," the fox said, coming to stand beside him. "Look." And he touched a dainty paw to the water.

For a moment, Syuusuke's reflection in the pool vanished, and the face of a young man about his own age, with short brown hair and a cross-shaped scar on his forehead stared up at him instead. Syuusuke plunged a hand into the water, vainly trying to touch his brother's image.

Sharp teeth sank into his pants leg and dragged him backwards.

"Do not go too close to the water," the fox ordered. "You may begin to forget again."

Syuusuke turned to look at the fox. "Is he really down there?"

"Either you trust me or you do not."

"I don't know if I trust you," Syuusuke said. "Although, you did save me from drinking from the pool, and you returned my memory. But tell me, fox, why did you not save my brother as well?"

The fox sighed, and Syuusuke could have sworn that its sharp features looked sad.

"He did not listen when I told him not to drink. Not many people trust a fox, you know."

"But you aren't a fox, are you?" Syuusuke said. "You are a sorcerer."

"You could call me that," the fox said. "It is not a term I would apply to myself."

"Then tell me, O fox-who-is-not-a-sorcerer," Syuusuke said in a singsong voice. "How can I rescue my brother from this enchanted pool?"

"There are two ways," the fox replied at once. "One is hard, the other quite simple."

"What is the hard way?" Syuusuke asked, even as his heart sank. When it came to enchantments, even simple answers were rarely as simple as they seemed. And yet, he found that he did trust this fox. It lacked the glib and ready answers of a creature intending to deceive him. And he could believe all too easily that Yuuta would have willfully ignored the creature, and swallowed the water of the pool.

"You must take a tail-feather from the Golden Bird, plucked less than an hour before, and place it in this pool."

Syuusuke's eyes widened.

"The Golden Bird? The creature Yuuta is—was––searching for? Isn't the creature impossible to find?"

"Not impossible," the fox said. "But it is not an easy journey. It could take you years."

"Then what is the simple way?" Syuusuke demanded.

The fox rocked back on his haunches, and looked away.

"Kill me," he said.

Syuusuke saw that the fox was serious, and his heart sank. This task was equally impossible, but for entirely different reasons.

"You saved me twice," he said. "I can't just kill you. That is no way to treat a friend. It would be dishonorable and disloyal."

"Very well," said the fox. "You are the first human who has called me friend. I will not ask this of you now."

"Then I suppose I must seek the Golden Bird," Syuusuke said with a sigh. "You said that you know the way?"

"I can take you there. But first, we should obtain the Golden Horse, which can travel more swiftly than any other horse on earth. If you have that horse as your steed, you will be able to reach the Golden Bird in a matter of weeks, rather than months. And the castle of the prince who possesses the Golden Horse is only a few days' travel from this forest."

"All right," Syuusuke said. "How do I get the prince to give me this amazing horse, though?"

The fox tilted its head to one side.

"You will have to steal it."

* * *

The fox guided Syuusuke out of the forest without mishaps, and they traveled together for several days. During the day, they walked, and at night, they slept out in the open, beneath the stars.

The fox proved to be an excellent traveling companion. He helped Syuusuke to hunt for food, and he could sniff out water when their supplies ran low. He also knew a great deal about the countryside and its people. In general, he was not a great talker, though. Syuusuke was surprised when he began a conversation one night.

"This Yuuta, your younger brother, why did the king send him to look for the Golden Bird?"

"That's rather a long story," Syuusuke said.

"I am sorry," the fox said. "You do not have to tell me."

"It looks as if we'll be traveling together for a while," Syuusuke said with a smile. "I don't mind. You see, Yuuta is only my half-brother. I didn't even know he existed until a few years ago." He took a deep breath, and continued.

"He grew up as the son of a great lord. After our father died when he was young, he lived in the king's castle. He was even a childhood friend of the prince—the current king. They grew up playing together. From what he said, there might have been more to it than that, but I don't know. He never really wanted to talk about King Mizuki.

"But then, I guess King Mizuki found out that I existed. I'm not sure how. I lived my whole life on the edge of that forest, never knowing that I was the son of someone important. The bastard of someone important, that is. Actually, the memory of my early life is really dim, most of the time. I don't remember my mother at all. I just remember the forest, and being alone. Maybe I could remember more before I drank out of that enchanted stream. I don't know.

"Anyway, the Fuji family was in disgrace when they found out about me. Yuuta was sent to live with me, sort of because I was the nearest family he had, but mostly, I think, to be in exile.

"I was really happy to have a younger brother, but Yuuta was miserable. All he thought about was getting back to the court and to Mizuki. I made the mistake of telling him about the Golden Bird, which I had glimpsed in the forest many times. And so, one day, he saw it eating from one of our apple trees. He tried to catch it, but all he managed to gather was a single feather, made of pure gold."

"He sent it to Mizuki as a gift—he was always writing, and never got a response. And so, Mizuki sent back a single line of writing: _Bring me the entire bird, and you may return to court._I told Yuuta not to go, but he wouldn't listen to anything I said. He left. And then, you found me."

"I see," was all the fox said. For the first time, Syuusuke rather wished that he was human. It would make reading his thoughts much easier.

* * *

"That is the castle." The fox gestured towards it with a paw, as Syuusuke followed him over yet another hill.

Syuusuke had never seen a castle before. He was not particularly impressed. It was nothing more than a large, squat building of grey stone, with a few towers. Not at all beautiful, or graceful. He didn't understand why Yuuta was so eager to live in one.

"The stables should be just outside of the castle gates," the fox said. "All you have to do is enter and take the horse."

"Surely it isn't that easy," Syuusuke mused. "If this horse is so special, won't there be guards?"

"Yes," the fox agreed. "But I can cloak you in a spell that will hide your presence and put the guards to sleep, if you will follow my instructions."

"Of course," Syuusuke promised with a smile.

"In the stable of the Golden Horse, there are two bridles. One is plain leather, and battered and worn. The other is made of gold, and is encrusted with precious stones. Do not touch the golden bridle, but take the plain one. Then, you should be able to lead away the horse with no trouble."

"All right," Syuusuke said, keeping his voice cheerful. Somehow, he didn't think it would be so simple. But he had to do this, because he had to save Yuuta.

"Just don't let yourself get careless," the fox said.

* * *

Syuusuke pushed gently against the stable door, and jumped as it creaked. But there were no sounds from inside.

When he stepped through the door, he found that two guards were indeed asleep in front of the Golden Horse's stall. The horse itself was hidden in shadow, but he saw a glimmer of gold over the stall door.

Where were the bridles? He caught sight of them on the opposite wall of the stable. The plain bridle was nearly hidden in the dark, but the gold one sparkled with diamonds and rubies that seemed to draw his eye towards it.

He knew that he was supposed to take the plain one, but somehow, he found himself unable to look away from the golden bridle. Even before he realized that he had moved again, his fingertips were already closing around it.

Suddenly, all the air seemed to rush from his body, and his muscles froze. He couldn't move an inch. He struggled with all his might, but remained rooted to the spot. He tried to call out for help, but he couldn't speak. Besides, he realized. He didn't even know the fox's name, if it had one.

Time lost all meaning. He thought he might be drifting in and out of consciousness, but he wasn't sure.

"That's impressive," a cheerful voice remarked. "You should be out cold from that spell, but I can tell that you're awake. Your eyes are moving."

The room grew light at once. With great effort, Syuusuke twisted his head around to see who was talking to him.

It was a young man, about his own age, richly dressed and with a thin band of gold around his head. His hair was all white, except for the back of his head, which was quite dark.

"You can even move," the man said. "Interesting thief. You seem to have some sort of skill with magic. Just not enough to steal my horse. Well, I won't leave you stuck there forever." He touched a finger to the golden bridle, and Syuusuke at once fell in a heap to the floor. He was numb all over, but he could move again.

"Who are you?" he croaked.

The man laughed. "I should be asking you that, impertinent fellow. My name is Saeki Kojirou. I'm the prince of this castle, and the owner of this horse."

He seemed like a kind person, Syuusuke decided. It wasn't unreasonable for him to protect his own property.

"I'm Syuusuke," he said. "Fuji Syuusuke." It felt strange to claim the name of a family he had not quite been born into, but it also felt like the right thing to do at the moment.

Saeki's eyes widened.

"Fuji?" he asked. "Are you related to Fuji Yuuta, by any chance?"

Syuusuke nodded. "He's my brother. Half-brother, that is."

Saeki broke into a wide grin.

"Well," he said, with a laugh, "Fancy finding Yuuta's brother breaking into my stables like a common horse thief. Tell me, Fuji Syuusuke, how is Yuuta? We were good friends once, but I haven't heard from him since Mizuki sent him from court."

Syuusuke stared at the ground and bit his lip, not sure of how much to reveal.

"Is he not well?" Saeki demanded, taking a hasty step towards Syuusuke. "Please, tell me that he at least still lives!"

"He lives," Syuusuke said. As quickly as he could, he told Saeki the story of how Mizuki had sent Yuuta to bring him the Golden Bird, and how he had become trapped in an enchanted pool. As he spoke, he saw Saeki's expression change to alarm, and then to anger.

"That Mizuki Haijime," Saeki muttered. "He never was reliable, for all that Yuuta practically worshipped him. He's probably still worried that his family's claim on the throne is unstable, even though they stole it from your family more than a hundred years ago."

"The Fuji clan was the ruling family?" Syuusuke demanded, a little shocked. It didn't matter much to him, but Yuuta had never mentioned it.

"They were," Saeki agreed. "But the Mizuki family managed to drive out their last king—no one knows whether he was killed, or exiled, or imprisoned for life. Anyway, Mizuki rules most of the Fuji's old lands, and the Golden Horse and the Golden Bird which belonged to the last Fuji king have fallen into other hands. I suppose it's only fair for me to lend you this horse so that you can save Yuuta."

"Really?" Syuusuke gasped. "You'd lend me the horse?"

"I don't think you want it for yourself, after all—you only want to rescue Yuuta, who I still often think of most fondly. Promise me something, though." Saeki's face took on an impish grin.

"What?" Syuusuke asked, still feeling cautious.

"Once you free him from that pool, you must bring him here to visit me," Saeki said.

"Of course," Syuusuke promised. "I will bring Yuuta, and the horse. Thank you so much. I am forever in your debt!"

Saeki took the plain bridle, and led the horse from its stall. It tossed its head impatiently, and gave Syuusuke a skeptical look. But as Saeki handed Syuusuke the reins, it immediately quieted, and bent its knees so that he could scramble onto its back.

Saeki smiled. "He seems to like you. Maybe it's because you are a Fuji."

Syuusuke looked down at the horse. Its golden coat glittered in the early morning light, and the mane gleamed like metallic thread.

"Does it always sparkle like this?" he asked ruefully.

Saeki burst out laughing.

"I'm afraid so," he managed between snorts. "He's a king's horse, so he isn't exactly inconspicuous. But he travels at ten times the speed of an ordinary horse, so he's well worth the…"

"Gaudy coloring," Syuusuke finished.

"Indeed."

* * *

The fox hopped up onto the horse as Syuusuke led it over to where he waited on the other side of the hill nearest to Saeki's castle. He gave Syuusuke a stern look.

"You touched the wrong bridle, didn't you?" he said, his deep voice sounding annoyed. "I told you not to get careless."

Syuusuke tugged at the fox's ear.

"There was a guard spell," he said. "It's not my fault, I was forced to touch it."

"I apologize," the fox said. "I expected that your magical ability would be strong enough to resist such a spell."

"Magical ability?" Syuusuke said with a laugh. "I don't have any. You're supposed to be the sorcerer!"

"Perhaps," the fox said. "I regret that I cannot help you more directly. If you were to take my life, the task ahead of you would become much more simple."

Syuusuke shook his head. "I called you my friend before when you saved me from the enchanted pool, but since then you have become truly dear to me. I can't kill you."

"Very well," the fox said. "That is your decision to make. I will only offer you this choice once more."

"Do you want to die?" Syuusuke demanded, his eyes opening wide. "Why are you asking me this?"

The fox lowered his head. "I may not say."

* * *

_He was drowning. His lungs burned as he struggled for air. He was reaching for someone. Yuuta?_

_Everything was slipping away from him—sight, sound, and feeling. He was going to die, but he was also waiting for something, and he couldn't remember what. _

_On the surface of the water above him floated a golden feather._

Syuusuke nearly lunged to his feet before he realized it was a dream. The night was cold, the grass was wet, and the fox was curled beside him, comfortingly soft and warm. It was a dream, a nightmare, but he was not alone.

The fox's tail twitched, and he opened his strange, distant eyes.

"Are you well?" he asked.

Syuusuke nodded, still sweating, despite the chill of the night.

"It was just a dream. But I died."

"You are alive now," the fox said. Syuusuke found it strange that he did not question that Syuusuke had died in a dream. But then, he often said things that Syuusuke did not understand. He did not doubt that the fox told the truth as he saw it, or was ever less than honest, but that did not mean that his words always made sense.

He also never volunteered information. Syuusuke sometimes asked him questions, and the fox would answer to the best of his ability. It seemed at times that he had strange restrictions over the things he could and could not tell. Perhaps sorcerers (or fox-sorcerers) had laws of their own

"Fox," he said. "Do you have a name?"

"No," the fox said. "I no longer have a name. Only tame beasts have names."

"I see," Syuusuke said. "Does that mean you had a name once?"

"Yes."

"Were you human once?"

The fox bared his teeth in a grimace. "You ask difficult questions."

"Can you not answer them, then?" Syuusuke taunted.

"Some I can answer, and some I cannot."

"Your powers are so limited?"

"They are," the fox said, sounding troubled. "It is because they are borrowed. Borrowed magic is always limited."

"But–!"

"Do not ask any more," the fox growled, sounding angry for the first time Syuusuke could remember. "It will do you no good. Go to sleep."

And despite the talk of limited powers, Syuusuke felt a deep and dreamless sleep seal his lids and pull him down into darkness.

* * *

The horse traveled dizzyingly fast, and the days passed in a blur. The scenery changed from green forest to endless plains, until at last they reached the harsh mountains of the north.

"We are close," the fox said one day. With his eyes, he gestured to an enormous fortress at the peak of the tallest mountain they could see. "That is the castle of King Shiraishi. He is the owner of the Golden Bird."

"So it's time," Syuusuke said. "If I can get the bird, I can save Yuuta. But how am I supposed to get inside that fortress, never mind get the bird iout/i of it?"

"It won't be a matter of stealth," the fox said. "There will be no tricks. You will have to go before the king and claim the bird. If it is meant to be yours, you will be able to take it. It will not be easy, but it is the only way to accomplish your task."

"I don't understand," Syuusuke protested.

"Saeki told you of the Fuji kings, am I correct?" the fox asked. "Along with the horse, the Golden Bird belonged to them, but it was given to the Shiraishi family to guard after the last Fuji king was overthrown. You are of Fuji blood, so you should be able to claim the bird."

"I'm not a real Fuji, though," Syuusuke said, confused. "Wouldn't Yuuta have a better claim."

"I do not know," the fox said. "I have not met Yuuta. But perhaps that is why Mizuki sent him to find the bird."

Syuusuke nodded. "That makes sense," he said. "So all I have to do is march up to King Shiraishi and ask for the bird?"

The fox gave him a look so filled with sorrow that Syuusuke could no longer bear to meet his gaze, and turned away. He knew that the fox had promised only to ask Syuusuke once more to take his life. His silence held the question.

Syuusuke's eyes held the answer.

The fox spoke.

"Will you not kill me?"

"I cannot," Syuusuke said.

"Then we must part ways."

Syuusuke felt his eyes begin to fill with tears.

"Will I ever see you again, fox?"

The fox shook his head. "I have taken you this far, but I can go no further. Let me give you a final piece of advice. If you still wish to live, despite refusing my offer, turn back now. Leave this place, and above all, do not go to save the boy who lies imprisoned in the stream!"

"Why are you telling me this?" Syuusuke demanded. "You know that I will never abandon my brother!"

"Farewell, beloved Syuusuke." It was the first time the fox had spoken his name. But in a flash of gold, he had vanished.

Syuusuke leaned his head against a rock and wept as if his heart was broken. He didn't understand this strange world he was in, and now his guide had abandoned him in it, all alone.

All that was left to him was Yuuta. He had to save his brother.

* * *

It took the better part of a day to climb the mountain to King Shiraishi's fortress. Syuusuke had decided not to take the Golden Horse, fearing that the glitter of the creature would be visible on the bare mountain from miles away. And so, he arrived at the fortress gate panting and sweating, and covered in dust.

He did not feel frightened, although perhaps he should be. He himself had nothing to lose. The fox had implied that he would certainly die. But Yuuta's fate rode on whether or not he got this bird from Shiraishi.

The guards at the front gate gave him a strange look when he asked to see the king, eying his shabby clothing and obvious lack of importance.

"It's about the Golden Bird," Syuusuke insisted.

The guards exchanged a look, and one of them shrugged.

"Not our problem," he said.

Syuusuke drew himself up, trying to make the most of his short and slender frame. "My name is Fuji Syuusuke," he said, his voice snapping like a crack of thunder. "I _will_ see the king."

"Fine," the guard muttered. "Just don't blame it on us if His Majesty has you thrown into prison."

Shiraishi looked more majestic and less kind than Saeki—more like how Syuusuke would expect a king to look. But he refused to be intimidated by the enormous black throne on which Shiraishi sat, or the coldness of his stare. After all, Syuusuke reminded himself, he too was descended from a line of kings. It no longer felt strange for him to claim the name of Fuji, although Yuuta was the only member of his family that he had actually met.

"I…I have come to claim the Golden Bird," he said, his voice almost but not quite steady.

Shiraishi raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed?"

"It is mine by right," Syuusuke declared.

Shiraishi did not look at all surprised.

"You are Fuji?"

Syuusuke nodded.

"Hmm," Shiraishi said, stepping down from his throne. Even after descending the stairs to stand beside Syuusuke, he was a full head taller. He reached out a hand to touch Syuusuke's cheek with a spidery finger. Syuusuke flinched away from the touch.

"Mizuki wrote that you were plain, but I must respectfully disagree," he said, as if assessing a purchase at the market. "I am most pleased that he has given me permission to keep you."

Syuusuke stared at him, not understanding what he meant.

"Or, wait," Shiraishi said, his fingers brushing Syuusuke's face again as if they had never been removed. "Let me see your eyes." He pinched one of Syuusuke's eyelids with his free hand and peeled it back mechanically, the other arm locked around his neck. "Damn! Blue! It's the wrong one." He sighed, and pulled a crumpled letter from his tunic pocket.

"_If you are approached by a Fuji, brown-haired, square of jaw, and plain, you may do with him as you please. But if—and I do not expect this to come to pass—the other brother, the blue-eyed one comes to your halls, dispose of him immediately. Do this, and the Golden Bird will be yours for all time." _He tossed the letter into a corner with a careless gesture. "So, it seems you must die. It's a pity, but I keep my word."

Syuusuke found it suddenly difficult to breathe, as if a heavy weight was bearing down on him. He was unable to shake off Shiraishi's grasp, unable to turn away from Shiraishi's eyes.

"That's interesting," Shiraishi said. "You seem as if you should have a strong magical ability, but it's missing. Gone."

"What?" Syuusuke croaked. Both Saeki and the fox had mentioned his magical ability, but as far as he knew, he'd never had any at all.

"It's as if someone tore it completely out of you," Shiraishi muttered. "Let me guess, you don't have complete memories, either. Quite the mystery. I don't suppose you know who did this to you?"

Syuusuke began to struggle against Shiraishi's grasp, almost desperately. Was it possible that part of him was missing—magic, memories? Who was he? Why didn't he know? It was too late now. Shiraishi was going to kill him here, with only the force of his eyes.

Besides, that didn't matter. Yuuta mattered.

But somehow, he knew that the fox had answers. The fox must know something! He wanted to see the fox again.

And he had to save Yuuta!

"The bird," he choked, the air almost completely gone from his lungs. "Let me see it!"

Shiraishi's lip curled in a smirk.

"You want to see it before you die? It doesn't matter to me." He snapped his fingers.

A rustle of wings filled the air. Syuusuke felt lighter, and more free. He turned his head, to see the Golden Bird enter the grand hall and land on Shiraishi's shoulder.

He stared into its bright blue, gem-like eyes. He had seen it many times before, when he still lived in a hut by the forest, but he had never seen it at such a close range.

_Fuji Syuusuke, you have come._

"This is mine by right," Syuusuke whispered, as Shiraishi went rigid with shock. "I claim this bird."

The fortress around them vanished, and they were surrounded by darkness.

* * *

_He was drowning. He couldn't breathe. Somebody! He was reaching out to somebody, but he couldn't remember who._

Syuusuke spluttered, and blinked in the sudden sunlight, momentarily blind.

Then, he realized he couldn't move, because his arms and legs were tightly bound behind his back. His whole body ached. Beside him, the Golden Bird sang a trilling note of concern.

"So, you're awake," an unfamiliar voice said, chuckling.

"It's a good thing you're here, Mizuki," said another voice, which Syuusuke recognized as Shiraishi's. "He's much tougher than you said he would be. You should have warned me."

"Sorry, sorry," Mizuki said. "I've only seen him once before, and he was unconscious then. But since you didn't kill him for me, the bird and horse will return to my possession."

"You bastard," Shiraishi growled. "You planned this all along."

Mizuki laughed. "I'll let you keep some of the feathers. The bird was meant to be restored after one hundred years, anyway. It holds the power of the Fuji kings, and that power is mine now, you see."

Shiraishi grumbled, but seemed to agree.

Syuusuke was fully awake by now. He was lying in the forest by the pool where Yuuta was imprisoned. The place where he had first met the fox.

"What do you want from me?" he hissed.

"Only a small thing," Mizuki said. "Your life. Without it, I won't be able to sleep peacefully at night."

"Fine," Syuusuke said, causing both the kings to go wide-eyed in shock. "You can have it. But let me free Yuuta first. Unbind my hands."

Mizuki drew his dagger, and slashed through the bonds holding Syuusuke's arms. "There," he said. "Take a feather." He held the weapon ready, in case Syuusuke tried to attack or escape. Not that there was much hope of such an attempt succeeding, with Syuusuke's legs still tied.

The bird's feathers didn't feel heavy, but rather seemed to float in Syuusuke's cupped hands. Cradling them, he hobbled over to the pool where Yuuta slept, and dropped them onto the still surface of the water.

Ripples appeared, and then, as if drawn by invisible hands, Yuuta rose from the pool and was set down beside it. Syuusuke stared at him in delight. He was really alive!

"Yuuta!" he cried, attempting to embrace his brother. But Yuuta brushed him off, and hurried to bow before Mizuki.

"I have failed you, your Majesty," he said, sounding deeply ashamed. "I could not bring back the Golden Bird."

Mizuki patted him on the head, as if he were a dog.

"That's all right, Yuuta," he said. "You have served your purpose. Your brother was the only one who could bring the bird to me."

Yuuta gave Syuusuke a look filled with loathing. "You know he isn't my brother."

Syuusuke flinched as if he had been struck. At that moment, he knew it was true—perhaps he had always known—but Yuuta's angry denial of the lie hurt him badly. But also, he could see what he had suspected all along. Mizuki cared nothing for Yuuta, and yet Yuuta loved him.

"We may not be related by blood," he said, drawing himself up as straight as he could. "But you are my brother, even if I am not a Fuji."

"Who is he, anyway?" Yuuta asked Mizuki. "You promised you would tell me, once this was all over, your Majesty."

Mizuki smiled. "Have you not guessed it? Have you forgotten your history lessons? He is a Fuji, and a king. The last Fuji king."

"But that branch of the family died out one hundred years ago!" Yuuta protested, his voice filled with horror. "Do you mean…"

"Oh, I understand now," Shiraishi cut in. "The famous boy-king of one hundred years ago, thrown into a magical slumber in this pool, his powers and memories bound inside the Golden Bird. He has no idea who he is, and only the faintest glimmer of memory remains to him."

"That's right," Mizuki said. "My family always knew he would wake, and I was ready. With Yuuta's help–" he patted the boy's head again "I gave him a new identity, and I'll eliminate him before he becomes a threat. See him there now, already helpless. Nothing like the famous king of old."

"So, if I've read this right," Shiraishi mused, "and, as you say, his powers are sealed inside the bird, he should regain his powers if the bird is killed. But if we kill him, we will control his powers and the throne through the bird forever."

"Yes," Mizuki said. "Exactly right. Yuuta, hand me that knife."

"Wait," Yuuta said, his eyes wide. "You didn't say anything about killing him. You have the bird already!" He rose and took a step towards his king, shaking slightly.

"Never mind, Yuuta," Mizuki said with an indulgent smile. "I'll let you return to court, just as I promised. This man is a dangerous sorcerer, who needs to be dealt with. Just move aside."

Yuuta nodded obediently, and moved out of the way.

Shiraishi bound Syuusuke's hands again, and threw him in front of Mizuki, beside the pool. Mizuki leaned in, clenching the knife so hard his knuckles turned white.

Syuusuke almost began to laugh. So he was a king, from one hundred years ago! Supposedly a great sorcerer, too. He couldn't remember a thing about it, and now he was going to die.

The knife pricked Syuusuke's throat, and a thin red line appeared against his skin. Mizuki grinned, and started to apply more pressure.

Suddenly, a flash of red and black appeared out of the forest and sent Mizuki sprawling backwards. It was the fox, bristling and snarling, and baring sharp white teeth.

Mizuki and the fox struggled furiously. The fox opened numerous gashes and punctures all over Mizuki's body, but was also bleeding profusely from the slashes inflicted by Mizuki's knife. Mizuki was larger and stronger, and at last gained the upper hand.

His knife slid into his opponent's heart, and the fox at once grew limp and fell to the ground, lifeless.

Syuusuke convulsed. Mizuki, his eyes wild, started to move towards him with the knife.

Yuuta lunged and shoved Mizuki back into the pool, but at that very moment, Mizuki managed to get a grip on Syuusuke's wrist, dragging him along.

Syuusuke was drowning, he couldn't breathe. He didn't even have the strength to struggle. There was someone he needed to call out for, but he couldn't remember the name.

His lips parted, allowing precious air to escape as he was dragged further down into the water.

Something inside him was broken. It burned, against the chill of the water. He screamed again.

_"Tezuka!"_

Strong arms seized him and dragged him up towards the air. Then, at last, he reached the surface. He could breathe! He collapsed into his rescuer's embrace, and gazed up into a familiar but long forgotten face.

"Your Majesty, are you all right?" it was the fox's voice, but there was a man there now, holding Syuusuke to his still bare chest.

Syuusuke spluttered for a minute, still feeling the ache in his lungs. Then, he relaxed.

"I've been better," he muttered. "How about you?"

"Being a fox for one hundred years was rather tiresome," Tezuka said. Delighted, Syuusuke reached up to touch the familiar scowl.

"I turned you into a fox," he remembered. "Before they could throw me into the pool."

"Yes," Tezuka said. "And you sealed within me all of your powers, and most of your memories. They could only be released upon my death in that form."

"It might not have been the best plan," Syuusuke admitted. "But it was all I could come up with at the moment."

"I was worried," Tezuka said. "You kept refusing to kill me. I thought neither of us would ever be free. But it never occurred to them that the Golden Bird was a decoy."

"They were supposed to focus on that," Syuusuke said. "They never suspected that my powers were sealed somewhere else. Probably because it sparkles so much. It looks magical and impressive."

A sudden headache struck, as he struggled to make sense of two sets of memories. He rubbed his forehead, while Tezuka looked on in concern.

Yuuta cleared his throat. Syuusuke looked at him closely, not sure what he would see. Would Yuuta hate him for Mizuki's death?

In Yuuta's face he saw sorrow, but also relief. It was not the face of someone with a broken heart.

"Oh," Syuusuke said. "How very rude of me! Yuuta, this is my chief councilor, Tezuka Kunimitsu. Tezuka, this is my younger brother—or maybe he should be my great-great-great-nephew?—Fuji Yuuta."

"And what should we do about him?" Yuuta asked, pointing to where Shiraishi huddled at a safe distance.

"He won't be a problem," Syuusuke said. "He's the type who bows to whoever is strongest, don't you think? And at the moment, that would be me."

Tezuka shook his head.

"He's ambitious," he said. "And clever. You'll have trouble from him."

"Very well," Syuusuke said, closing his eyes and extending one hand. A blue glow swirled around his palm, and spun forward to enclose Shiraishi. The king opened his mouth to scream, and then was still. A statue.

"I think we can leave him like that for a hundred years or so," Syuusuke said. "He'll have some time to think about his…mistakes. In the mean time, Yuuta, why don't you rule his kingdom for him. Take the Golden Horse. And while you're on your way, I recommend that you pay a visit to King Saeki. He seemed quite eager to see you."

A shy smile crept onto Yuuta's face. "Thank you…Aniki."

* * *

"Well, I suppose I'll have to get back to the dreary business of ruling bright and early tomorrow morning," Syuusuke said, snug beside Tezuka in the nest of grass and leaves they had gathered.

"It's exactly that kind of attitude which lost you the kingdom in the first place," Tezuka said with a frown. "Try to take ruling more seriously."

"But I have you for that," Syuusuke said with a yawn. "You know, it's too bad you didn't stay a fox. You made an excellently warm and fluffy pillow. But I suppose you're good for other things, now that you're human again."

Tezuka didn't speak, but moved closer to Syuusuke in the darkness.

"You know, it's strange how we lost one hundred years in the blink of an eye," Syuusuke said a minute later. "Everyone we knew is gone now, even if the kingdom is still here."

"Everything will be fine, as long as you don't get careless," Tezuka said.

"I guess we don't have to worry about it until tomorrow."

"Not until tomorrow."

"Tezuka?"

"Hmm?"

"I was always looking for you, even when I couldn't remember who you were. I was reaching out to you the whole time."

"And I was always there, watching over you."

Syuusuke let out a sigh. "And that won't change?"

"Never. No matter what."


End file.
